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Sunday, February 20, 2011

Guest Blog: Birth Story of Mikaela

One of our blog followers and friend had an unplanned homebirth last week! Here's her story (the PG13 version - Ha ha!):

I took a nap while DD was taking a nap, which I normally NEVER feel the need to nap. I have always had tons of energy through out this pregnancy. I woke up at 3:00 pm and felt my stomach muscles tightening. I thought that maybe they were contractions. I told the hubs that we HAD to go to my favorite restaurant one last time to eat before the baby came. We headed there, ate and left. We brought our girlfriends home (they drove with us) and on the way back home (about 7:30 pm) is when I actually started feeling the contractions with the tightening of my muscles. We got home and I drank a glass of my Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, which I drank religiously through out my third trimester. I sat and surfed the web looking for a name for our daughter that I knew would soon be born while sipping my tea and rocking in my recliner. At this point the contractions were about 12 minutes apart.

At about 11:45 pm I thought I should probably go try to lay down and sleep as much as I can before I won’t be able to anymore. I laid on my left side while listening to my labor play list and fell asleep for about 45 minutes. I woke up and timed some contractions and at this point they were about 8 minutes apart. The hubs and I laid in bed while he did counter pressure on my lower back to help with the back labor and gave me a great foot rub.

At about 1:30 am I called my mother and told her I wasn’t sure if this was it, but to come anyway. The contractions were about 6 minutes apart. She said she was packing her things and would be on her way. I just wasn’t sure if this was it, so I called the on call midwife at 2:00 am. She said that I was talking through my contractions just fine, so it would probably be a while and they may even stop all together. I assured her that I thought it would be tonight and she said she would let the nurses know that I would be in before 6 am.

I told the hubs to listen for our daughter while I took a shower. I drained the hot water (about thirty minutes) and then got out and proceeded to get dressed. At this point, things were really moving right along. I started getting the shakes and nauseated. I thought it was just the temperature change and disregarded the classic signs of being in transition. I tried to get dressed, but the contractions were coming so close together at this point. I yelled at the hubs to start the truck, because it HAD to be warm. He insisted I had to get a shirt on to go anywhere. I said I will ‘effin’ go topless - just get the gosh damn truck warm. He ran around getting all the last things ready. I crawled down the hallway (standing up was just not an option at this point). I went into the bathroom and sat on the toilet. As soon as I stood up, I started to bear down. I thought there was no freaking way I could possibly be pushing at this point. My mom just walked in and said, “Oh my gosh Jessilyn! You need to go now.” I agreed.

All of a sudden I could feel her head coming through my cervix. I thought, “Shit, this cannot be happening this fast!” I stuck my finger in to check and see and her head was RIGHT there. My water still hadn’t broken at this point, unless it did in the shower and I didn’t realize it. I told the hubs there was no way we could make it to the hospital and to call 911. He didn’t believe me and said to just stop pushing and he will drive very fast (15-20 minutes away). I assured him there was no way we would make it and her head was coming out now. He got a flashlight while on the phone with dispatch and looked and yelled, “Holy shit! Her head is coming out. You need to hurry!”

I continued to spontaneously bear down while in the hallway outside of the bathroom (carpet seemed more appealing than cold tile) while squatting. I was catching her head in my left hand and I remember feeling my perineum stretching across her head. All I could think was “I am going to tear.” The hubs helped with perineal massage (the best he could) from when he saw the midwife do it when I had ODD. The head was out and the police officers arrived. They didn’t really do anything at all. Then two minutes later, the paramedics arrived. Curt (paramedic) delivered her shoulders and the rest of her body. Curt and Chris (paramedics) were going to cut the umbilical cord right away, but I wouldn’t let them and educated them about delayed cord clamping. I nursed her immediately and I unfortunately was unable to wait until the cord stopped pulsating. Apparently, their goal is to get mom to the hospital before the placenta is delivered because of possible hemorrhaging, etc. I still was able to wait ten minutes before the hubs cut the cord. I was then put on a stretcher with little bean in a thermal blanket (it was negative digits in MN).

We got to the hospital and I was the talk the WHOLE time I was there. Every one kept apologizing and saying "sorry" like it was a traumatizing experience. I LOVED it. It was the BEST experience I have ever had. We were given a good bill of health and we were never really even bothered by staff (not sure if that was because I delivered at home or not - with DD I was bugged every hour). We were let go the next day and she has been nursing like a champ since she came out. Sorry this is so long - I love to blab ;)